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Apple Cranberries and Roasted Chickpea Salad with creamy feta dressing in a speckled ceramic bowl on a wooden table.

Apple, Cranberries and Roasted Chickpea Salad

A vibrant Mediterranean salad featuring sweet crisp apples, juicy red grapes, tart cranberries, and warm skillet-roasted chickpeas tossed in a creamy smashed feta vinaigrette.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad Base:
  • - 1 can 15 oz / 400g chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed, and thoroughly towel-dried
  • - 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for skillet roasting
  • - ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • - ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • - 1 large crisp apple Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, diced with skin on
  • - 1 heaping cup red seedless grapes halved
  • - ½ cup dried cranberries
  • - 2 celery ribs thinly sliced
  • - ½ small red onion finely diced
  • - ½ cup walnuts or pecans chopped and toasted
  • - ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley or dill finely chopped
For the Creamy Feta Dressing:
  • - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • - 3 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
  • - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • - 1 tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup
  • - ½ cup Greek feta cheese crumbled
  • - Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

Skillet-Roast the Chickpeas:
  1. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the dry chickpeas, sea salt, and black pepper. Sauté and toss for 8–10 minutes until warm, fragrant, and lightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Prepare the Base:
  1. In a large salad bowl, combine the diced apples, halved red grapes, dried cranberries, thinly sliced celery, finely diced red onion, and fresh chopped parsley. Add the warm skillet-roasted chickpeas.
Make the Creamy Feta Vinaigrette:
  1. In a glass jar or mixing bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey until emulsified. Add the crumbled Greek feta cheese and mash gently with a fork into the vinaigrette until a creamy, textured dressing forms. Season with black pepper.
Toss and Serve:
  1. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently until all elements are coated. Chill in the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes before serving. Top with toasted walnuts or pecans just before serving.

Notes

- Meal Prep: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep toasted nuts separate until serving.
- Vegan Option: Use dairy-free feta cheese and maple syrup instead of honey.
- Browning Prevention: Toss diced apples in 1 tsp lemon juice prior to mixing if preparing hours ahead.